Little Red Riding Hood
by Ivory Tears
Summary: "The first trickling of fear filtered through Lady's iron clad will. She had a feeling she wasn't going to grandma's house anytime soon." Fairy Tale inspired AU. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Inspired by both versions of _Little Red Riding Hood_ sang by Laura Gibson and (originally) Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. Characters may be OOC in this.

**Disclaimer-** Ivory Tears doesn't own Devil May Cry, nor does she profit from this work of fiction.

I love fairy tales. I didn't really aim to write this as a fairy tale, but if it seems like that, well I'm not going to complain. ;) Enjoy!

/

**Little Red Riding Hood**

Lady picked her way through the leaf strewn path of the old forest behind her house. She had the distinct feeling of being followed, but every time she turned there was nothing to be seen. Swinging the basket in her left hand, she tightened the blood red cloak around her throat, pulling the hood over her short, raven hair. A twig snapped in the brush to her left causing her to give a sharp glare in that direction. Seeing nothing, Lady started walking again, albeit a little more cautiously.

"You're far from home, little one," a voice purred from the dark shadows clinging near the base of a tree to her left.

"Who's there?" Lady called out, turning in the direction of the voice.

"A friend, I hope," a man stepped out on the path in front of her.

Lady felt the breath catch in her throat. The man standing there was beautiful. Aristocratic features with a cupid's bow mouth and ice blue eyes, along with his spiked silver hair made him seem like the ethereal creatures that Lady had only read about. He was dressed in a black, long sleeved shirt and matching pants.

He held his hands out in a placating gesture once Lady had finished gawking at him, "I could guide you to your destination."

She narrowed her eyes, "Why should I trust you?"

He grinned, flashing sharp teeth, "I promise to be on my best behavior."

Lady pulled her cloak closer around her as she took in his dilated eyes, "I'm quite fine on my own."

"I don't think you should walk alone in these woods," his brows furrowed, "I'll walk with you for a spell and if you don't find my presence comforting, then I shall depart."

She pursed her lips, eying him suspiciously, "Fine. One weird thing and you're gone though."

"Splendid," he grinned, eyes lighting up.

Lady quickened her pace, passing by his smirking countenance only for him to keep in step with her.

"What's your name?" he turned to her, taking in her appearance.

"Why do you want to know?" she kept her gaze forward.

He shrugged, "Trying to be cordial."

"Were you the one following me earlier?"

"I was merely looking out for you," his smirk broadened, eyes glittering, "there are many dangerous things in the forest this time of day."

She rolled her eyes, "I doubt it. I've been coming this way for ages and I've never had any problems before."

"I know."

She chanced a glance at him only to meet his icy stare, "How do you know?"

"I've seen you before, obviously," he pointed in front of them, "your grandmother lives this way."

Lady stopped in her tracks, "That's seriously creepy. Well, it was nice chatting with you, whoever you are."

"Vergil."

That name tickled something in her subconscious, but she ignored it.

"Yeah, well _Vergil_," she sneered, "this is where you and I part ways."

"If you wish," he gave her a short bow, eyes never leaving her face, "until we meet again."

He stepped off the path, melding into the shadows until she could no longer see him.

Lady breathed a sigh a of relief, "Creep."

As she continued to her grandmother's house, she couldn't help but try and remember where she had heard that name before. She hummed to herself as she gazed upward gauging the light filtering through the canopy of leaves. A far off howl cut off her train of thought. She berated herself for being so jumpy, but the lengthening shadows cast a sliver of doubt in her mind.

Another howl -sounding much closer this time- earned a worried glance from the fair skinned maiden. Lady pulled her basket closer to her body and walked more quickly. Maybe she should have let that crazy guy, Vergil, walk with her, at least she could outrun him and save her own skin... Her bi-colored eyes widened in recognition. Vergil was the name of the shape shifter famed for luring people into the forest and eating them alive. He lured them in his human form before transforming into a wolf and devouring them. He took women most of the time, although it wasn't unheard of a man going missing.

"Why me?" she bit her lip, casting her gaze around.

She still had a half a mile left before reaching some sort of safety.

"Why the hell does grandma live all the way out here?" she bemoaned.

Lady pulled her dagger out of her boot and gripped it tightly in her right hand, keeping her ears open for any sound. After walking for several minutes with nothing but the usual chatter of the forest floor, Lady felt her shoulders relax.

"Maybe I misheard his name," she thought aloud.

"I highly doubt it," an amused voice cut in from behind her.

Whirling around, Lady faced Vergil once more.

"Don't come near me," Lady warned, brandishing her dagger.

He tilted his head -eyes a molten silver now- as he grinned at her, "I'm not worried."

She slowly walked backwards, putting distance between them, "You should be."

He chuckled, a low sound that caused the hair on the back of Lady's neck to stand up, "I won't hurt you; I'm fascinated by your fearlessness."

She snorted, "Yeah, like I'm going to believe that."

He started to mimic her movements; with her every step back, he would step forward.

"I've been watching you for quite some time now," he eyes were so intense, he looked almost predatory, "you're everything I could want."

Lady scoffed, "I'm sure you tell all the girls that, right before you eat their face off."

His lips pulled into a dark grin, "I'll admit my eating habits are not flattering, but that is the last thing I have in mind for you."

Lady felt a blush spread across the bridge of her nose as her heart sped up.

His grin broadened as his nostrils flared, "I see your fight or flight impulse has kicked in, dear heart."

She flung her basket as hard as she could at his face before spinning around and running as fast as her legs could carry her. Lady felt the wind push back the hood on her cloak, short hair streaming out behind her. A few low hanging branches caught on her cloak, tugging the clasp loose and sending it fluttering to the ground. She lamented the loss only for a moment before plunging onward, trying to put as much distance between her and that creature as possible.

A low growl could be heard behind her before Lady was tackled to the ground, a heavy weight pressing down between her shoulder blades. She quickly rolled over, arm lashing out to stab Vergil's wolf form -only for a hand to grab her wrist.

"Now, now, that's no way to play fair," he smirked down at her panting form.

He grabbed her free hand and pinned both arms above her head with his left hand. He brushed her cheek bones with the pad of his thumb, ignoring the heated glare she was giving him.

He dipped his head and nuzzled her neck, "You smell like ambrosia."

"Let go of me, creep," she bit out, anger fueling her struggling.

"No," he purred, "I caught you fair and square, dear heart. I believe you're mine now."

"Listen, I'm nothing but skin and bones. I've got this friend, who's much tastier than I am, if you let me go I can-"

She could feel the reverberations of his chuckle since his face was pressed in the crook of her neck.

"As tempting as that offer is, I'm afraid I don't want to let you go," his tongue trailed a path up to her earlobe, "I'll try to keep satisfied with this for now."

Her breathing hitched, "What do you plan on doing to me?" she whispered.

He pulled back to look into her mismatched eyes, "What big eyes you have," he smirked, "the kind of eyes that drive wolves mad."

The first trickling of fear filtered through Lady's iron clad will. She had a feeling she wasn't going to grandma's house anytime soon.

/

**This may be a two shot depending on reviews and my free time. Review! :)**

**Also a little side note- I'm working on Don't Fear the Reaper, it's just my free time is limited. Also, have any of you guys seen the newest DmC trailer with Vergil? I miss his old look already. :(  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** I finished up Don't Fear the Reaper and decided to write another part to this. Not to mention you guys seem to really like this idea. :3 I love fairy tales and so I hope I do this story justice.

**Disclaimer-** see chapter one

**Soundtrack****: **

_Little Red Riding Hood_ by Laura Gibson

_Little Red Riding Hood_ by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

The Labyrinth Soundtrack (I love David Bowie! :D)

/

Vergil bound her hands with some sort of magic, but kept her legs free. He placed his arm around her, constantly nuzzling her hair and neck.

"You'll eventually see things my way," he hummed, pressing his lips against a sensitive spot behind her ear causing her to shiver.

"Unlikely," she jerked away from him, which only led to him pulling her even closer as he led them deeper into the forest.

"Where are you taking me?" she spat out, eyes narrowed into slits as she faced forward, ignoring him to the best of her ability.

She noticed that although he was barefoot, he seemed able to glide through the brush with ease and a deadly sort of grace. Lady quickly shook her head, not letting herself to go down that path of thought.

"I have searched for many moons for someone like you," Vergil brought them to a stop.

He stood in front of her and tilted her chin up until his gaze locked on her's, "I am going to bind you to me, Mary of Talbot."

"Bind?" a frown pulled at her lips, unease tugging at her mind with the mention of her baptismal name.

"Yes," he grinned, teeth gleaming in the low light, "you are one of the last Summoners."

"Summoners? Look I think you have me mistaken for someone else. You know, like someone in your head," Lady smiled awkwardly as she took a few steps back.

He chuckled low in his throat causing the hairs on the back of Lady's neck to stand and goosebumps to break out on her arms.

"I can smell your fear, little one," his eyes began to morph into that eery silver color, "I would suggest that you follow me or else I will not be held accountable for the consequences."

Lady visibly swallowed and took a hesitant step towards the wolf-man.

"Good girl," he purred, a smirk gracing his features.

He grabbed her bicep and began to drag her further down the path he only seemed to know.

/

"Home, sweet home," he crooned in her ear.

Lady twisted violently in his grasp and he let her go, chuckling as she stumbled forward before regaining her balance. She shot him a sour glare before turning back to the cottage in front of her.

It was a quaint place, situated in the middle of a clearing with a small brook running beside it. The little house almost looked cozy except for the vile creature hidden within its wooden walls.

"Would you not like to enter?" Vergil held the door open for her, bowing at the waist yet never taking his eyes off of her.

She sniffed haughtily, "I would rather drown myself in the water."

"That can be arranged," he murmured, eyes glittering, "though it would be quite the pity. The water has magical properties that ensnares the senses. Once it passed your lips you would become smitten with the first thing you laid eyes upon. I would make sure that thing would be me."

His lips twisted into a malicious smile, "Shall I dunk you head first?"

Lady angrily stomped through the open doorway, his laughter following her all the way inside.

/

Hours seemed to pass in which Lady did nothing. Once Vergil entered the abode, he shut the door and disappeared off to some adjacent room. That left Lady with little else to do except take in her surroundings. She sat on one of the few pieces of furniture within the middle of the room. A table stood to her left, underneath the windowsill, with another chair seated next to it.

In the wall in front of her, a warm fire blazed within the hearth. She noticed a small mirror situated above the mantle and a picture on the mantlepiece. As she craned her neck to get a closer look, the door on the far side of the room opened. Lady snapped her gaze over to Vergil's reappearance.

"Ah, where are my manners," Vergil waved his hand and the invisible bindings on Lady's hands dissipated.

She rubbed her wrists, feeling the circulation returning, "Thanks."

The corners of his lips twitched, "You are quite welcome."

Lady stood up from the chair and walked near the window, "I demand to know why you took me hostage, demon."

"Demon? Now that is a new one," Vergil smirked, walking near her stiff form, "I have already told you what I require from you."

He stopped within inches of her and breathed deeply, "I will bind you to myself."

Lady pulled away until her back touched the wall -belatedly realizing she was cornered.

"I know not of what you speak," she glared, "and even if I did, why would I bind myself to the likes of you?"

He stepped closer until she could feel the heat radiating off his form.

"I will show you," he ran his fingers through her silky tresses, "come."

He walked back over to the other side of the room and opened the door, "Your answers lie within here."

Suspicious of the shape shifter, she strode across the room and peered inside. A small study filled with bookcases and a wooden desk met her eyes. She gazed back at him before stepping through the threshold.

"The book you seek is on the desk," he leaned against the door frame, a smug expression painted on his face.

She pursed her lips and turned to the desk. Sitting behind it, she pulled the book forward and ran a hand across its gilded surface. Lady had loved sneaking away from her tyrannical father and taking respite with the elderly scholar at the edge of Talbot village. His whole house held stacks of tomes that was as high as the ceiling. It was there that Lady had met her first love: the written word. Books held knowledge and in knowledge Lady had found power.

Vergil took in her faraway gaze. His eyes roamed over her features. Pouty red lips, the scar running across the bridge of her nose, and her bi-colored eyes had captivated him the first time he saw her in his forest. She had exuded the power of a Summoner albeit a dormant one. He knew he had to have her before anyone else, especially his dimwitted sibling. His eyes narrowed in irritation. Dante had been searching for his own Summoner far longer than Vergil, who had believed it to be an old wives tale and nothing more.

He pulled himself from his musings when he realized she had asked him a question.

"I cannot read this," she frowned at the text, "it's written strangely."

He walked around the desk and stood behind her, peering over her shoulder.

"It is written in Gaelic," he placed his hands over her eyes and whispered an incantation, his breath fanning the hair near her ear.

She squirmed in her seat as he pulled away. Lady stifled a gasp of surprise as she watched the text squiggle, straighten out, and became words she could read.

"It's a glamor," he walked over and retook his earlier position, "you should have no problem reading anything you wish now."

Lady gazed up at him, a thoughtful look crossing her face, "Thank you."

"My pleasure," his eyes glittered strangely causing Lady to look back at the book.

Lady poured over countless pages of text and images. From what she could gather, Summoners were able to bind a werewolf to them. In the early days of summoning, the spellcaster would hunt down a wolf, bind them, and then summon the wolf whenever the spellcaster saw fit. Once lycanthropy started running rampant through the countryside, spellcasters were hired to find a solution.

After a decade of mindless slaughtering of men, women, and children who showed signs of the change, an ancient werewolf came forth and bound himself to a human spellcaster. The legend of Sparda spread like wildfire and soon slayers were hunting down werewolves to sell to the spellcasters – all for a hefty price, of course. Werewolves became scarce and soon went into hiding.

Eventually, a law passed across the land that made the selling or buying of such a creature illegal and punishable by death. Hunters lost their lust for gold with the mention of the hangman's noose and so spellcasters had to find their own beasts. The Summoners were lost to legend as the older spellcasters succumbed to death and the younger ones cared not for the ancient magic of binding. Summoning soon gathered dust from the shelves of history and was heard of no more.

Lady pulled away from the ancient tome and let the information settle over her.

"You're saying that I am able to do this?" she regarded Vergil with guarded suspicion and a hint of curiosity.

"Essentially, yes," he smiled at her, bearing his teeth in such a way his gums were showing.

Lady pulled back in subtle revulsion, his animalistic tendencies unnerving to her. Not for the last time she thought, what had she got herself into?

/

**End of chapter two. How do you guys like it so far? I have the next chapter hazily sketched out in my mind, but I don't really know where this story is going or how long it will be... in other words, updates will be sporadic! ^_^' **

**Please review! And if you have any ideas on what you would like to happen, please tell me. I'll try to squeeze them in here. :D**


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